Residents of the Nkoranza North and South communities in the Bono East Region have called for a fair and inclusive energy transition as Ghana moves away from oil, gas and coal toward solar, wind and other clean energy sources.
The call came at the end of a two-day peer-learning forum held on 7th and 8th September, 2026 in Busunya and Donkro Nkwanta, organised by Wacam with support from the Ghana Energy Transition Consortium (GETC).
The forums were led by three community volunteers who facilitated discussions in the local communities, supported by other facilitators including a media practitioner and community rights activist, Dominic Adjei Baffour, and the Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis (CEIA), Dr. Samuel Obiri. Together, they guided participants through the key issues surrounding the just energy transition.
In attendance were Wacam’s Executive Director, Mr. Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Associate Executive Director, Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, Technical Director and Lawyer Kwaku Afari.
Speaking on the theme, the facilitators emphasised that while the shift to clean energy was necessary to reduce pollution, the change must also be fair. They noted that “green” projects can still harm communities through land grabbing, water pollution and lost livelihoods if not properly managed. Participants learned that clean energy technologies such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles required minerals like lithium, copper, bauxite and manganese, mining of which must not repeat the injustices of the past.
The forums highlighted the difference between an unjust and a just transition. An unjust transition, participants heard, involves land taken without consent, hidden information, poor or delayed compensation, pollution and jobs that go elsewhere. A just transition, by contrast, required communities to decide freely, receive full information, protect land and water, receive fair compensation and benefits and ensure that women and youth have a voice.
A key outcome of the discussions was the articulation of the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Community members stressed that consent must be free from threats, force, or bribery; must be sought before licences, land entry, or work begins; must be based on truthful and understandable information; and must allow the community to say yes, no, or demand changes.
Participants were urged to ask critical questions before agreeing to any project: What land and water will be affected? What risks will women, farmers and affected communities face? What compensation and lasting benefits are guaranteed? Who will prevent pollution and repair damage? Can the community get independent legal and technical advice? And what happens if the community says no?
The forums also emphasised that every voice must be heard, especially women. A fair decision, participants noted, must include women and women land users, youth and future generations, farmers, fishers and pastoralists, persons with disabilities (PWDs), traditional and community leaders and people who may be resettled. “One meeting with a few leaders is not community consent,” they stressed.
Community members were encouraged to organise, document farms, water, promises and harm, seek independent legal and technical advice, negotiate safeguards in writing and monitor promises. “Do not sign what you do not understand. Keep copies of every document,” they were advised.The forums concluded with a united community message: “No energy future without justice. No project on our land without information, participation, protection, fair benefits and consent. Ask. Discuss. Decide together.”
The event ended with a discussion on what a fair energy transition must look like in the Nkoranza North and South communities, with participants committing to share the knowledge gained with their peers.
